In 1950, only 29% of the world was living in cities. Today over 50% of the world lives in cities, creating the first urban generation in history. At the current rate, the world will be 90% urban by the end of the century. North America has led the world in urbanization over the last 50 years, from 64% of its population living in cities in 1950 to an estimated 82% today. As significant as this is, it is dwarfed by the rate of urbanization taking place today in countries like China, India, and throughout the continent of Africa. The global rate of urbanization is twice that of global population growth, while in Asia it is occurring at three times the rate of its annual population growth. The human story has taken a remarkable shift away from a rural way of life to urban realities and is continuing at a phenomenal rate.

Over the last 17 years of talking to people on the streets of Chicago, I have observed some common trends of spiritual struggle as well as an increasing loss of faith in the institution of the Church. I believe it would be a mistake to conclude that this urban-connected generation lacks spirituality or the desire to commit to God. In actuality, I have experienced an increasing spiritual hunger and passion among believers and non-believers alike. I would like to suggest that an urban worldview has emerged that is influencing how this generation views God and processes truth in general.

The human story is broken. This urban-connected generation is personally aware of brokenness. Injustice, gross poverty, violence, and family breakdown are normal, daily realities. The deep cry has become, “Where is God?” They are overwhelmed not just with the suffering in their own lives but also with the inability to ignore the realities of global pain and suffering. The suffering debate is no longer about why evil exists, but instead about where God is, and what He wants to do in response to evil. This generation is looking to the Church to teach not merely a theology of survival but a message of redemption. Can the broken human story be fixed? Can we be equipped by God to make real change? They want to know if God just left us or if He fights for us. The message of Romans 8:37-39 is an important message for our times. Suffering and evil will not separate us from God’s commitment to our highest good, and they do not have to derail His purpose for our lives. Truth is now made relevant to the degree it speaks adequately and displays action steps toward human suffering.

Diversity with unity and purpose is not only a value, but also a necessity. The urban world is experiencing diversity never before seen in the human story. In a five-mile radius in Chicago, there are over 150 nationalities. Students of the public schools natively speak 110 languages. The urbanization of the developing world is bringing hundreds of people groups and dialects out of rural isolation into concentrated urban neighborhoods. This generation is hungry for an example of diverse community experiencing true unity and synergistic purpose. Truth is being validated to the degree that it can exist in the context of diverse inter-relating community. While 82% of North America is living in diverse urban realities, 92.5% of churches in North America are mono-racial. Our message of truth is being tested by how well it is connected to and survives diversity. Moving from simply valuing diversity to actually creating environments where it can exist with unity and synergistic purpose is what will attract this generation.

To this generation, truth is transferred and defined not through ideology or teaching, but in and through people’s lives. The global urban culture is saturated with philosophy, trends, and spiritual options, and this generation is attracted by what they perceive is working. Truth must now be seen, tasted, touched, and not merely heard. We need to create an incarnational and physical context to our teaching and discipleship. It’s not that our message is no longer valid, but rather it is being validated by how well we are living it out in the context the majority of the world exists in today. If we continue to present our message and discipleship only from a rural, suburban, or homogeneous context, it will increasingly be irrelevant to a world no longer relating to that reality. This generation no longer wants to experience church from safe, isolated structures, but rather in corporate offices, high-rise apartment buildings, slums, and street corners. They are redefining church to not merely being a building, but that which exists through community, no matter where community takes place. We must take our worship and processes of discipleship public in order to remain relevant.

Value is placed not on structure but on movement and that which effects change. The urban world is intense and complex. Spirituality is no longer seen as a personal thing. Every social issue is seen as a spiritual issue. This urban generation is looking for a spirituality that produces change in the world around it. The question is, “Are we going anywhere?” Churches and ministries are no longer validated by how well established or how big they are. The urban generation is hungering for real movement that inspires, and they are ready to sacrifice their lives for true causes. Institutions simply don’t impress them. They want to join something that looks grass roots, organic, and very relationally connected to humanity. Our very existence as a church or ministry is being validated by how much change we are creating in the world and how personally connected we are toward the world we seek to impact. Again, this generation wants to discover spirituality through action and integration into the world, rather than through removal from it. They must feel that we are so radically going somewhere that they will miss out if they do not jump on board.

The conclusion, as we move into the 21st Century, is that the Church will be increasingly validated by its level of urban-connectedness. Our voice will only be heard and respected to the degree we are identifying with and touching the heart cry of an urban generation. As we do this, the Church, and those ministries seeking to equip and mobilize the Church, will be both validated and heard and attract an urban generation that has the heart, hunger, and ability to change the world.

For a larger discussion on this topic, please visit YWAM Chicago’s website at www.ywamchicago.org.